Polkapolooza Craft Beer Tour 2017 Review - Day 2 Running down the 401

  Waking up in our hotel in Ottawa after an amazing first day for the 2017 Polkapolooza tour, I felt like I was still dreaming. While we had a long drive ahead of us, the feeling of how much the Ontario Craft Beer community means to me was very real and very touching. As with all our stops, we enjoyed the breakfast and perused the Ontario Bev Net map to plan our day. Many local breweries do not open Monday, but our first stop is open 7 days a week and come summer, brewing great craft beer 24/7. 

Stop in at Beau's is a must

I have long been a huge fan of Beau's All Natural Brewing in beautiful Vankleek, Ontario for their innovative and aggressive pursuit of so many different styles. Back when I started my journey and we didn't have the proliferation of craft beer at the Liquor or Beer stores, I could count on Beau's to show up every couple of weeks with something new. Their 10th anniversary last year was full of great things and if you follow me on social media, you know I am a full on Beau's fan boy. So it was a no brainer to make the 45 minute drive east of Ottawa to pay homage to this giant of Canadian Craft Brewing.

New glasses and 355ml. Lug Tread

Meeting us there was our pal from Montreal who had made a few of the stops the day before, Mike. Walking in, we were greeted warmly and given a 4 pack of pint glasses as a present from the enthusiastic Beau's staff. We talked a bit about our tour and my personal journey in craft beer before the tastings started and the smiles grew large.

Meeting your heroes is always a good thing.

A chance to wander in a guided tour is always available if you stop at the brewery and we took full advantage, even getting the chance to say thanks to one of the good people responsible for creating the beer I love so much. We had to part ways far too soon and as we retraced our steps, we headed to a tiny town with a great little brewery contained within.

Caught Mrs. Polk looking!

Nicolas from Tuque de Broue had been in touch with me in the weeks before Polkapolooza took shape to let me know that while they were usually closed Mondays, he would gladly meet up with us so we could check out what he, his family and team had built in Embrun over the last few years. Always accepting of any invite to visit, we arrived with high hopes and open minds and were immediately greeted with his smile and energy.

Nicolas, what a guy!

Talking about the trials and tribulations of building and growing a brewery, making beer and being part of the community were covered as we sampled and marvelled at the delicious beer coming out of this small eastern Ontario town. We spent over an hour just sharing stories and it is easy to see why Tuque has become such a hit with the local community. Nicolas has invested not just his money, but his passion and love for this town into his work and it shows. We left with some beer to try at our leisure and promises to return again later this year. Not enough thank you's in the world for this stop on the tour. Make it a priority to visit Embrun, it will leave you feeling inspired and happy you did.

Almost makes me want to move to Embrun

 

Finding a brewery that you didn't know existed...beauty

  The next stop was one of the most surprising and pleasant of the entire week. Located in Cornwall, Rurban Brewing is an island of good beer in an area that used to require a road trip to get something not macro. Nothing close by and one I found when I consulted my OBN map, I knew we had to see what the first brewery in this city in almost 100 years was all about.

Lots of options at Rurban

  An impressive amount of beer available, we were met with open arms and a tour of their facility by owners Andy and Karen. Former teachers, they moved back to their hometown and have filled a much needed niche in this small town. More and more I began to feel like I could live in these places we were visiting and it was in part due to the good beer, but mostly due to the people who were making it. These two stops illustrated what we were hoping to accomplish with this week, getting people outside their usual routine beer runs and exploring all that Ontario had to offer. I loaded up a six pack and we reluctantly made our way back out to the highway for another hour or so.  

Thanks Andy and Karen.



Love the building

  Our next two stops were quick run in and grab the beer due to a pressing need to head home as the last major winter storm was burying the Hammer under a metric tonne of snow. (or so we were led to believe, it really wasn't that bad)

  A picturesque stop among the Gateway to the Thousand Islands, Ganaonoque Brewing was just about to close when we popped in.

   I grabbed one of everything in the fridge and snapped a few pictures before we headed on down the 401 to the home of The Hip and Mr. Donald S. Cherry. Kingston houses a stop we had made during our trip to Tabernac last summer and I had to make peace with only being able to stop in for a few take home beers at Stone City Ales.

I wanted to stay for a pint so bad...

Beautiful and humming with activity on a Monday Afternoon, I was hesitant to leave without having a pint, but the ominous warnings of what turned out to be a non existent snowmageddon had us worried about making it home on time.
  As we grabbed a quick dinner in the drive-thru, I realised we would not be able to make it to one of my most desired stops on Day 2, Bowmanville's Manantler Brewing.

Manantler is the bomb!

While I had come to terms with having to trim my overly ambitious trip due to time constraints, I was really upset that we wouldn't be able to stop in and visit this particular spot because of how much fun these guys were on our Durham tour with the Beer Saints. I reluctantly asked Kat to let them know we would have to miss them and resigned myself to heading home, antler-less. Within minutes my gloom turned to happiness as Matt from Manantler sent us a message saying to let him know when we were close and he would meet us at the brewery even though they were closed. 

Huge thank you to Matt for meeting us after hours!

Elation and exuberance fuelled the next hour on the road and I was feeling like a million bucks as we pulled in and met Matt out front of the brewery. Handshakes turned to hugs and we toured around the  brewpub with a joy that only great Ontario Craft beer can bring.

Maybe we could live in Bowmanville. I'd be at the bar daily.

  Matt gave us a few samples and we happily bought some bottles to take home for more "research". I can't stress enough how much I want thank Matt for giving up some of his own time on a Monday night so we could visit and cross them off our list. This may have been our last stop on day two, but it really tied together a day spent meeting new people and trying to get a sense of what Craft beer can mean in a small town with little contact to the bigger population centres. I left the day before with high hopes and found them met and then exceeded at almost every stop.
  The day was coming to a close and after 13 hours and almost 900 kilometres in search of craft beer, we rolled into the "snow storm of the century"...which turned out to be about as much trouble as a heavy rain in June. Traffic slowed to 70 km/hr. but didn't stop. We laughed at the dire warnings from our over protective families and enjoyed the leisurely pace as we crossed the bridge and the familiar sights signalling home came into view. Pulling into the Manor and unloading the spoils of our trip led to a sample or two and a few precious moments hanging out with the somewhat perturbed Jinx.   There was little time to do much but clean up, put away the beer and try and catch a little sleep. Day 3 loomed large and it was another ambitious drive that was staring us down in our quest to explore Ontario, this time up the 400 North, where friends, new and old awaited.
But that is the tale for our next chapter...

Make your next beer run a little more epic
Break your routine and Explore everything Ontario Craft Beer has to offer.
You will be happy you did.
Cheers!
Polk



Beer of the Week - January 31st to February 6th

Sunday morning is usually a slow burn for us here at the Polkaroo manor. I work almost every weekend, but usually close the store on Sundays, so I don't have to be at work until noon. This week is the exception to that rule as it is the busiest day of the year for us in the food service industry, Super Bowl Sunday. So many damn chicken wings to cook. It's a great day for me, to be honest, and I look forward to it all year.
This week, I talked about low ABV (alcohol by volume) beers that will allow you to have a few without getting hammered while watching the big game and having to deal with the hangover the next day at work. I have many of them in my fridge chilling right now for when I get home from work and look forward to enjoying the spectacle. I was not really surprised then when it was a low alcohol beer that caught my eye and taste buds.
It is a recurring theme on my blog that I have really come to enjoy stouts and this week I had two that were just outstanding. First up was my 2014 Amsterdam Brewing Tempest Imperial Stout. I bought two of these last year and was disciplined enough to actually age one for 15 months in my cold cellar. It was an amazing beer that really smoothed out with aging and I noticed some more nuances in the flavour profile had changed since I first tried it. The only disappointment was that they no longer are making this, so I cannot buy the 2015 version to age and compare. Hopefully it will make a comeback in 2016.
My other standout stout is my choice for Beer of the Week (BOW) for a variety of reasons. Hailing from one of my favourite breweries, Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, The Tom Green Stout is a wonderfully put together beer that has found its way into my heart. It is a milk stout, and the organic lactose and oats make for a real creamy mouthfeel. Fantastic dark colour with a thick tan head.  It has a bitter coffee bean smell and flavour that doesn't quit. A chocolate note comes on nicely in the middle, while the finish is dry, hoppy and outstanding. The roasted malt flavours are so damn delectable that I went out the next day and grabbed a couple more to keep on hand for a treat.It is only a 5.0% ABV, so despite its big flavour, it is a sessionable stout. Usually this style is a little bigger in the alcohol department, so it is nice to find one that is so crushable.
It feels like I am constantly praising Beau's for their beers and it is with good cause. they keep coming out with innovative and different approaches to new and old styles. This week I had three different beers from their menu and each one was fantastic. The Bogwater (a Gruit) and Grisette (Belgian Style Ale) were great examples of what a brewery can do if they let their brew master's imaginations take hold and create something out of the ordinary.
 So it is without trepidation that I congratulate Beau's for yet another BOW and hope you can get your hands on The Tom Green Beer so that you can see what a fine brew it really is. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
Cheers!


Beer of the Week - January 17th to January 23rd

Drinking beer is supposed to be fun and this week was no exception. Well there was that one. I did the dirty work and tried Molson 67 Session IPA for you this week. I don't want to linger on it, it made me sad. Go check out my Instagram or Facebook pages if you want to read all about that train wreck of a beer. It was amusing but not something I think you need to do yourself. Leave that to the professionals.

Since it's inception, I use my Beer of the Week (BOW) to showcase one beer from the last seven days for its unique ability to rise above all the other brews and stick in my memory. It occurred to me that perhaps the 67 was the one, but to be honest, it was just so full of nothing that it barely registers. I then turned to my Master Beer List and found some worthy candidates. Dam Buster from Silversmith was a great English Pale Ale and one I am anxious to get another one of. There were some great American Craft Beers from my trip last month to Buffalo, including an Imperial Stout called Choklat from Southern Tier Brewing that was just outstanding and smooth for being 10% ABV. But it was once again my old pal Beau's All Natural Brewing Company who rose to the top with a beer that surprised me and challenged my sense of sight versus taste.

Yet another beer I started to see pop up all over Instagram early in the week, this Black IPA called Le Coeur Noir (The Black Heart) was getting great reviews from my fellow enthusiasts and I picked one up to chill for Friday night.

As you can see, a simple yet elegant label design and of course the distinctive Beau's logo. It poured dark, like a stout or porter, with a creamy tan head that laced my glass as I drank. What really stood out for me was the contrast between what I was seeing and what I was drinking. I knew it was an IPA, but when I looked at the glass, my mind wanted to register a roasted malt brew. It had a sharp, hoppy scent and when I took a sip, it really took off. It had a creamy texture that featured a crisp and bitter tropical mix of grapefruit, pineapple and mango. Piney and dry to the finish, this was an outstanding IPA.

As I make my way through the world of craft beer, I am beginning to see patterns and distinct attributes for each style of beer. Most have an appearance that is consistent with that style, but this Black IPA challenged my notions. I like that I struggled a bit to put what my tongue was telling me together with what my eyes had first registered. That is what makes my journey so interesting to me, I never know where my beer will take me until I pop the top and get it into my glass.

It was a delight to drink and I will be picking up a few more to enjoy as the winter swirls around us.

Congrats to Beau's All Natural and their Le Coeur Noir for making me smile and think about what I am drinking. A well earned BOW and I am sure not the last one they will get in 2016.

Cheers! 

The Drunk Polkaroo Does New Year's Eve

It's a little cold outside, but why not remember the summer!

It's the most wonderful time of the year to be a beer drinker. New Year's Eve is the High Holiday of Alcohol, with St. Patrick's Day doing duty as the Easter of Booze. Halloween is still Halloween.

Tomorrow night all manner of drunken frivolities will ensue and it is with this in mind I give you the Drunk Polkaroo's guide to the Eve.

Amateur drinkers go out and spend unbelievable amounts of money on overpriced dinners and watered down drinks. Macro lagers flow and bad decisions are made. I used to think this was a glorious way to spend the evening. I am older, a wee bit wiser and way more aware of what I drink than ever before so the times they are a changin'.

Personally, I never really got the idea of going to a bar on New Year's Eve. Too crowded and this is one night I don't like to be anywhere near the roads after the sun goes down. I now prefer a nice house party with people I love and cherish to the garish lights and loud booming music of the bar scene.

This year we are going to my in-laws house and it always is a good time. The food is second to none and the people just shine with happiness. Things will be a little different for me this year, I don't pound crappy beer anymore, so what to drink and how much will be very much at the back of my mind leading up to the Eve.

I am not going to be the guy who looks down on those who over-indulge. I've been there and I'll be here for you too. There is a time and a place for the social lubrication beer provides and this is one of those. We will be safely ensconced in the family circle and this alone means I can relax and enjoy myself. If you want to have a good time tonight, follow along with me and you will not only party, you'll remember it all in the morning. no apologies necessary.

• Get some high quality beverages. Macro lagers, shitty liquor and terrible shots do not make for a fun evening. Good beer and quality spirits are easily available at the LCBO, Beer Store or Local Brewery and they makes any celebration better.
• Consume with awareness. Don't cram a Coors Light down your throat one after the other. There is nothing sadder than a tasteless, empty beer that makes you drunk and nothing else. Thinking about what your drinking is not a bad idea. Enjoy the flavours and aromas that a good drink brings to the table.  Read on through to the end and I'll show you what I'm chilling for the party.
• Put your phone down. If there is something or someone more interesting you'd rather be with, then maybe you should head over there.  There is no need to show me this picture on Buzzfeed or Intagram. It will be there in the morning. Engage with the people who are present and you will remember it for a lot longer than a cat with bread on it's head.
• Take pictures together. This is the only reason to get out your device. I will be a demon for getting pictures with the people I am having a good time with. I love the memories that flood back when I look at them later. Rest assured they will be posted on Social media the next day. But for now, snap that photo and let's go back to having fun.
• Eat Something. Seriously. Your hosts put food out to be eaten. It is delicious and more importantly helps slow down your boozing. I love to eat some good snacks at a party and if paired with the right beer, all the better. But eat something, you'll thank me later.
• Be free with good words, hugs and yourself. Remember you don't know what a year it has been for everyone. Maybe it was the best year of their lives or the worst. Tonight is about looking forward as much as back, so be happy. Listen and respond to what is being said. Hug people like you mean it and tell them how much they mean to you. I harp on this because we never know what next year brings. Tonight is right now and I love spending it with you.
• Share your beer. I know, not everyone likes beer, but if you know a beer drinker is there, share all the joy craft beer brings to the glass and then maybe you will have another person to go on beer-ventures with! But remember that even though you love the craft, not everyone does and respect their choices.
• If you can't or don't want to drink, be happy about it. I wrote about the art of not drinking earlier. (Shameless blog link to the article) You do not have to drink to have fun. It is just fine and dandy to have a pop, coffee or whatever floats your boat. But don't be a wet blanket on everyone else. I've done that and regret it. Have fun, laugh at the goofiness that people bring out when they drink and maybe let loose a little. But do not feel you need to drink, you don't and I support you.
• Know when you've had enough. This was always the hardest thing for me. I never had a limit. So many nights missed because I couldn't slow down. So be aware of how you feel. If you are getting too out of control, slow down. Grab a water. Hydration is so important when you are drinking. I almost always have a glass of water between beers to help cleanse my palate, but also so I will slow down a little and not over-consume. I realise not everyone has my problem of self control, but if you do then its okay to say no to that shot and keep sipping that big Imperial Stout you brought for the party.
• Do Not Drink and Drive.  This is a biggie. Don't do it. Stay over, call a cab, call your parents, siblings or long lost cousins. No one should ever lose their life or someone they love because you thought you were okay to drive. Please, I love you and want you around for all my adventures next year.
• Have Fun.  Finally, have a good time. You are surrounded by people you love and respect. Maybe you haven't spent time with them in a while. Take the time to reconnect and find out how they are. I bet they miss you too. Laugh at bad jokes and stupid things. Smile at memories you share. Make new ones together. Enjoy the last night of the year and celebrate all you hope to do in the next one.

That's about it. Be safe. I am going to say it again,  please do not drink and drive. Too many people don't make it home because someone had too much and drove. It is not worth it. There is always room on the couch for you and we can have breakfast in the morning. I'll buy.




Happy New Year everyone from The Drunk Polkaroo!
Have a great night and let's see where 2016 takes us.




I almost forgot to tell you what I am bringing to the party. Here it is:
My beer for tomorrow is based on what is available at this time of year, my own personal faves and of course what goes with the party! I probably won't drink all of these. But I like to have my options open to where my taste buds want to go.



Yuenglings Lager (USA)
Great Lager. Sadly only available in the states.




Lake of Bays Old North Mocha Porter (CAN)
 Amazing beer with so many flavours.
Get one before the LCBO closes.



Marzen by Beaus's All Natural Brewing Co. (CAN)
Another Ontario Craft Beer, available now.
Malty goodness.



80 Shilling by Beau's again (CAN)
Nutty, toffee and malty.
This one just came out.



Charcoal porter by Innocente (CAN)
Found it at Upper Gage LCBO.
Dark and roasty, get one!



Riptide Rye Pale Ale by Forked River (CAN)
Limited availability in Hamilton. Upper Gage again.
Great intro to rye  and beer.



Coast to Coastless by Flying Monkeys (CAN)
Wonderfully malty and chocolatey.
Available now.



Pompous Ass by Great Lakes Brewery (CAN)
Best session ale of 2016.
Available now, go get two.

Best name for a beer two years running.
Dark, roasted and delicious.
Run to the LCBO and grab one!

Torpedo IPA from Sierra Nevada (USA)
Best IPA this year.
Sadly another states only brew
Try their Pale ale, at the LCBO

Polka Dot Awards 2015 #7 - Farm Table Marzen

Beer and baseball, my night was amazing.

 Today my pick for the Polkie #7 might be one of the most innovative and creative breweries in the province. Located near Ottawa in Van Leek is Beau's All Natural Brewing Company.
 When I was winnowing down the 400+ beers I had this year to get to the top ten, these guys had a shockingly large amount of their beers in the top 100. Their distinctive 600 ml. bottles and intriguing label and packaging always grab my attention when I go into the LCBO.
I had to make some really hard choices and the one beer from Beau's that kept popping into my head more than any other, and there were many, was the Marzen from the Farm table Series. A great fall beer and something I know I am anticipating already for next year.


All of Canada lost their collective mind when Jose dropped the bomb.

I think one of the reasons I crush on this beer is that I had it during the "Bat flip" game 5 between the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers. I am a casual baseball fan and my favourite team since I was a kid are the KC Royals (stop booing). But I was very happy to see the Jays back in the playoffs and the excitement they generated in all of Canada. This game was something I would have been 8 or 10 Old Milwaukee tall boys deep by the time it got real interesting. I wouldn't have witnessed all the craziness and that is one of the reasons I love this beer. The other one is that it is simply an absolute beauty of a brew.

I'll just leave that here for a second.

Now back to the beer. Pours an orange amber colour with a nice thin head. This is a malt forward beer in smell and taste. bready, biscuit flavours of toasted barley are enhanced by a caramel note. Dry, slightly bitter hopped back end produced a clean crisp finish. Wonderful texture and composition. They describe their Farm Table Series as sessionable and being brewed true to tradition and I think that is something bang on the nose. I have had a couple of other from the series and they are great.

This beer is a must if you want to experience true flavour without a big alcohol punch (only 5.5%), strong crazy hops or bitter dark malts. It is the perfect beer to transition from the lighter fare of the summer to the darkness of the winter.
I will let you in on something else. The lovely wife has agreed that for one of our summer vacation trip this year we can head to the northeast and ... Surprise! That is where Beau's is located. I am just in the initial planning stages, but I am over the top at getting to see and taste all that I have read about. Part of what I am trying to do by slowing down and really exploring all beer has to offer means pushing outside my comfort zone of staying home all the time. This should be epic!
Let me raise my Glass to Beau's All Natural and give them props for their Polkie win!
Well deserved and I look forward to the exciting new tastes 2016 will bring.
Cheers!